Les As A Child

He must have been a stubborn  child.

How else to explain his insistence?

He was going, not withstanding medical

And marital arguments to the contrary.

There was the pending knee surgery,

And the inoperative ankle deterioration,

Coupled with the certainty he would be

Walking miles over suspect terrain.

Thanks to Les’ incapacity, we moved easily through the airport.

Three of us followed him, wheelchair and porter;

As we sailed through check points, avoiding long lines,

On our way to the assigned Vietnam boarding gate.

For the next three weeks we climbed ancient stairs,

Not designed for a man with an essential cane.

Height, depth ,and uniformity of steps

Had not been critical to the ancient builders.

I counted neither the ancient temples,

Nor the quality or quantity of ascents and declines

Needed to reach our destinations and return safely.

I do know that Les did what the rest of us did.

More than once, I watched as my man

Struggled to keep a solid footing on

Not quite paved streets or sidewalks.

I’ve no doubt he will remember this adventure.

Les survived and maintained his good humor.

I view his performance under pressure admirable.

As to the question of wisdom in undertaking this trip:

The man was a fucking maniac.